Weeks after becoming the first Nigerian player to score six goals in a league match, Dolphins of Port Harcourt forward Emem Eduok yesterday went into the history book as the first player to find the back of the net at the newly commissioned Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo,

Eduok, who is in contention for the highest goal scorer in the 2013/14 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), just a match away, got to a well taken 33rd minute pull out from Solomon Kwambe to nod home the opener in the friendly encounter between the home based Super Eagles and the Ghanaian U-23 side, the Black Meteors.
Interestingly, the player hails from Akwa Ibom State and also started his football career in Uyo.

That goal was all that separated the two sides as the Nigerian side carted home the Transformer’s Cup as a reward for their victory.

The Super Eagles were handled by assistant coach Daniel Amokachi in absence of head coach Stephen Keshi who was among the crowd that watched the match from the stands.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan who commissioned the stadium amidst pomp and celebration has described the magnificent stadium, called the Nest of Champions as a great transformational achievement, promising to continue to use sports as a way of providing platform for the youths to display their talent.

While delivering his speech at the event, witnessed by a large crowd, President Jonathan expressed happiness at the feat achieved by the Akwa Ibom State Government led by Godswill Akpabio, stating that he was particularly excited that he laid the foundation for the edifice and was also on some points inspected the arena while under construction.

The President was assisted in the commissioning by neighbouring West African presidents – Ghana’s John Dramani Mahama and Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara alongside host governor Godswill Akpabio.

Governor Akpabio showcased the new sporting edifice which has a bullet–proof State Box with 70 seats. It is modeled in outlook after Johannesburg’s Soccercity and Bayern Munich’s Alianz Arena.

In his address at the commissioning, Akpabio announced that the arena will host an international friendly between Nigeria and Brazil in May 2015.

The stadium is already approved by CAF to host the final 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game between Nigeria and South Africa on 19 November, 2014.

Apart from the friendly match, the event was spiced up with brass bands, march pasts and big music acts Mavin, Kcee and Mish.